Rejoice and Be Glad

Lord Carey of Blathering-in-the-Dotage has been sending green-ink epistles to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that Christians are being persecuted. The court is dealing with the cases of various martyred lambs: a British Airways worker who refused to abide by the company's uniform policy, a nurse who refused to abide by safety regulations, and a registrar and a relationship councillor who refused to do their jobs. The airline worker lost her case, the nurse was transferred to duties in which dangling baubles mattered less, the registrar was disciplined and the counsellor was sacked. In the strange, holy-rolling, gay-bashing theocracy which is the inside of Lord Carey's head, this is the kind of thing that constitutes persecution. Faith schools, free seats in the Lords and the status of an established church have not prevented the faith being "driven underground" to an extent which, on Planet Carey, bears legitimate comparison to the security policies of a Nero. We may of course put aside the Saviour's explicit instructions to his followers that they should revel in whatever abuse and torture the world might choose to inflict; Lord Carey is only an Anglican, not an actual believer. Still, one would hope for a little more respect for the many whose faith has brought them into genuine danger; especially in a church with so few shreds of dignity left to throw away.